Court Showdown Looms for NYC Electronics Recycling Law

New York, the country’s most populated city, has decided to enact a city wide law requiring electronic manufacturers to collect and recycle electronic goods sold within the city limits. The goal of this program is to put the onus of keeping household and office hazardous waste generated by the disposal of electronics out of landfills and to promote localized recycling to its businesses, and its residents. Having the manufacturers, the creators of good products create new business lines, lines that the large OEM’s are not familiar with nor experts in seems to be pretty far fetched.

If this law passes, it creates an unfair advantage for the large companies that already employ tens of thousands of people to handle the collections, processing and eventual disposal of the equipment. Companies like Capitol Asset Recycling, who handle the localized pickups and dismantling of electronic equipment, as well as put on events for businesses and residents, will be forced to act as a processor rather than a customer service oriented service provider.

This month, a federal judge in a Lower Manhattan courthouse will hear arguments about whether or not this large scaled recycling plan should be permitted.